The myth of original of Islam and how the I slam presented and use Research Paper

The myth of original of Islam and how the I slam presented and use example from Holy Quran and comparing it with the first story of creation in Genesis in the Bible - Research Paper Example reement in claiming that Adam was originally formed from the mud, that transforming a bunch of mud into an alive being is performed by God, that the formation of Adam took place before the formation of his companion Eva and that she was formed from the ribs of Adams (Von Rad 1973). But the Quran recounted that Eva was formed from the body of Adam only not identifying if it was from his ribs. It was recounted in the Bible that God gave Adam the ‘breath of life’, whereas in the Quran it is narrated that God gave Adam a ‘heavenly spiritual breath’ (Barto 2009, 88). This essay thus compares the Biblical and Qur’anic account of the Creation and the Fall of Man. The Bible begins with the beginning of time, the Creation. It is a complicated narrative that dominates the first chapter of the first book of the Bible, fittingly referred to as Genesis, and expands into the later chapter, where the story progresses and trails the story of our first parents, Adam and Eve. According to Katheer and Kamal-ad-Din (2001), obviously, the Christians read a similar Bible even if they referred to it as the Old Testament, and they usually understand it in a different way from its Jewish authors. However, the Muslims—the third group of Monotheists—have their own distinct rendition of such prehistoric episodes in a matching Scripture, the Quran, which they similarly worship as the Word of God. The description of the Quran of the absolute beginning of time, even though the same with that of the Bible in several points and meaning, both stipulate a supreme creation from naught, for instance, and on the Grand Designer’s crafting of humankind, is not specified in the continuous storyline of Genesis. The Quran is an anthology of God’s revelations to Muhammad over the final two decades of his existence (Sawma 2006). They are partitioned into 114 Surahs, but several of these Suras in all likelihood enclose multiple revelations. The Quran, therefore, is a compilation of

different cultural beliefs about death

different cultural beliefs about death Person, Culture and Medicine Alexandra Lamb â€Å"Human Behaviour is essentially the same across groups and populations.† Biological death is inevitable. For all humans, death is the exclamation point marking the end of a life, the end of a journey; however it is approached and for however long. This is the universal biological condition for all humans. According to Benjamin Franklin, â€Å"†¦Everything appears to promise that it will last. But in this world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes.† (Curran 1975) It is in how we live our lives that we see the breadth of human cultural and psychological variation (Seeman, 2010), leading us to discover a great diversity of meanings regarding death and dying, spanning across all groups and populations (Charmaz, 1997). â€Å"Cross cultural [variation embodies] not just different opinions or beliefs, but different ways of everyday living and different systems.† (Jecker Carrese Pearlman, 1995, p. 6) At the most basic level we are all â€Å"built† the same. Death is a complicated process that is the result of the breakdown of the body’s systems. We all live, until the chaos in our body, caused by either natural causes or a forced external factor, is too much for all the intricate systems to work together as a coherent whole (Badham, 1996). Despite the advancement of technology and medical progress, there is no stopping everyone eventually facing death. Whilst biologically we are all essentially the same, from a cultural and psychological perspective, we all behave very differently. This can be seen by considering the bond between a parent and a child, which is said to be the most significant, powerful and enduring human relationship (Parkes Laungani Young, 2003,). Thus, the death of a child is acknowledged as the worst possible event, one that gives the deepest emotional impact. In this tragic event, we can see marked behavioural differences across and within cultures and so it is a good example to use to examine the differences in human behaviour in the face of death. Nations, as well as individuals, all live with very distinctive ideas and beliefs around how to deal with death (Charmaz, 1997). Most cultures are similar in that they attribute unique significance to a child’s death. Biologically many aspects of a parent-child relationship are pre-programmed from conception however, each of these characteristics are developed within a specific family, social and cultural context (Parkes Laungani Young, 2003,). These wider influences are what greatly shape the meaning and experience of the relationship for both parent and child and thus influence the meaning of death. This makes the emotional impact of parental bereavement unique. For example, in Western Societies, parents are expected to grieve in private and return to normal activities soon after the child’s death, where as in Egypt, a mother may be withdrawn and mute up to seven years after the child’s death and this is considered normal. A Balinese mother would be considere d normal if she remained cheerful and calm after her child’s death, as her culture believes that emotional upset makes one vulnerable to illness (Parkes Laungani Young, 2003,). â€Å"Grieving and death rituals vary across cultures and are often heavily influenced by religion† (Lobar Youngblut Brooten 2006, p. 45). For example whilst the traditional burial is common around the world, the rituals that are associated with it vary. In areas influenced by Islamic and Jewish faiths, the corpse is washed and dressed in a shroud and placed in a simple wooden coffin (in areas where coffins are used). In China, where Confucian beliefs dominate, thick wooden coffins packed with clothing and shrouds are used to delay decay and in Christian-dominated regions, bodies are dressed in normal clothing and placed in a coffin made of either chipboard, wood or metal. (Canning Szmigin 2010) The combination of both structural (cultural) and individual factors that impacts the experience of death is dynamic. (Howarth, 2007) Not every member of a particular ethnic group will share the same beliefs and values and other aspects such as social status, economic position, gender, sexuality, age will also have an impact on experiences and beliefs which when combined give meaning to the experiences of death and dying (Howarth, 2007). For example, the prevalence of child mortality also influences the experience of death. In developed countries, where changes to nutrition and sanitation and the evolution of medicine have made childhood mortality rare, a death of a child is more likely to be perceived as tragic. Whereas in developing countries, where the death of a child occurs much more often and thus is considered inevitable, mourning may only last a few days (Parkes Laungani Young, 2003,). Each person has their own beliefs about death, which are generated through experiences at a social, cultural and individual level. Universally, there is a level of respect shown for the dead and there are different â€Å"accepted† practices depending on the age, gender, social status and cause of death of the individual. (Bradbury, 1999) However, all of the beliefs around death are determined by the way the individual lives, which is why there is such diversity with regards to the biological condition that is an inevitable human fact. Just in this discussion of how different people across different groups and populations approach death and dying, a lack of conformity with the statement â€Å"Human Behaviour is essentially the same across groups and populations,† has been shown. Parallels can be drawn between people, but vast differences can also be highlighted. (Seeman, 2010) We begin and we end in much the same way, but the way we live our lives is remarkably different . Much can be learned about the breadth of human variation by examining the way we approach death and dying: â€Å"Our ways of dying are our ways of living. Or should I say our ways of living are our ways of dying?† -Toloki the Professional Mourner (Seeman, 2010, p. 1) References Badham, P. Ballard, P. (1996) Facing Death- An Interdisciplinary Approach. Cardiff, University of Wales Press. Bradbury, M. (1999) Representations of Death- A Social Psychological Perspective. New York, Routledge. Canning, L. Szmigin, I. 2010, ‘Death and disposal: The universal, environmental dilemma,’ Journal of Marketing Management, vol. 26, viewed 28 August 2014, (electronic Scopus). Charmaz, K. Howarth, G. Kellehear, A. 1997, The Unknown Country: Death in Australia, Britain and the USA. Great Britain, Macmillan Press Ltd. Curran, C. 1975, ‘Death and Dying’, Journal of Religion and Health, vol. 14, viewed 28 August 2014, (electronic Scopus). Howarth, G. 2007, Death and Dying- A Sociological Introduction. Cambridge, Polity Press. Jecker, N. Carrese, J. Pearlman, R. 1995, ‘Caring for Patients in Cross-Cultural Settings’, The Hastings Center Report, vol. 25, p.6, viewed 28 August 2014, (electronic Scopus). Lobar, S. Youngblut, J. Brooten, D. 2006, ‘Cross-cultural beliefs, ceremonies, and rituals surrounding death of a loved one,’ Peadiatric Nursin, vol. 32, p. 44, viewed 28 August 2014, (electronic Scopus). Parkes, C. Laungani, P. Young, W. 2003, Death and Bereavement Across Cultures. Routledge. Seeman, E. (2010) Death in the New World- Cross Cultural Encounters. Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press.

Free Essay: Deception of Satan in John Milton’s Paradise Lost :: Milton Paradise Lost Essays

Deception of Satan in Paradise Lost  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The speeches of Moloch, Belial, Mammon, and Beelzebub represent particular ways of looking at life. Milton derived these views from I John 2:15 and 16 which says, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world." Coming into the world, these demons transferred their philosophies to the human race. That is why these views are still common in today's world, even though the battle of the supernatural is often overlooked. Even at Christian schools, the effect of these philosophies can be seen. However, in hell and in the world they have proved a failure - the high ideas of the plans will not work with the separate realities that both hell and the earth represent. Only Beelzebub's idea seems to work, but that to will be proven false with time. In the Bible, Moloch was the god of the Ammonites who sacrificed their children to him, believing that then he would bring them power. They lusted after power and went to extreme, perverted measures to attain it. In Paradise Lost, Moloch also lusts after power. After being cast down to hell, he calls for the demons to wage war again on heaven. He believes (probably he has deceived himself) that they can defeat God now because they are strong with fury - the fury that comes from being cast out of glory. They have acquired the new, torturous weapons of hell that would that coupled with their wrath would prove victorious over God. "I just don't think I'll do well ... I don't understand the... As he strutted into the classroom, the two kids in conversation groaned. "So... " he intoned to one annoyed guy, "Have you studied for the test?" "Last night, yeah." More hesitantly, "How 'bout you?" "Oh yeah, piece of cake." A smile stretches across his face. "I heard you saying you don't understand, " he put his hand on her shoulder in a sort-of motion of comfort, "You'll do fine. " Again the smile, and he walked size off to another group of kids. The two kids rolled their eyes.

Practical Assignment: Introduction to Information Technology

Objective This coursework aims to provide students an opportunity to explore the use of Microsoft Word and Microsoft Powering to enhance their understanding of the application software features in word document and power-point slides presentation. Grouping This Is a group-based assignment. Student must form a group with minimum 4 members and maximum 5 members. Note: same group members of theory assignment. Plagiarism All work is to be the result of the student's own individual and group effort.Students found to have copied others' work will be penalized for plagiarism. A student who plagiarisms will receive zero point credit on the assignment. Late Policy The assignment should be submitted on the due date stated below unless there are legitimate reasons as to why a student can not complete the assignment by due date. As a general rule, no extension of time will be granted. Assignment received after the due date without legitimate reason will be penalized. Submission date: 22/07/2014 (Tuesday, week 1 1) Assignment return week: Week 14 To begin†¦ Find an article from newspapers, internet, magazines etc. And you have to make sure the article is able to match the features checklist [PART 2 FILE]. The article that you have selected must get the approval from your tutor. Take note: the article length must be at least a full page long of AAA paper size and/or at least 400 words. You can refer an article sample In Attachment 1 on Cell. Task 1: Based on the article that approved by your tutor, you need to design that article into organized. Task 2: Retained the contents of the article you designed in task 1 you need to create a retrieve and great-looking Power-point presentation slides show.Note: The power- point slides length must be between 10- 15 slides long. Assessment This assignment contributes 70% of the overall practical course assessment. Submission Details and Report Sequence Assignment report must properly staple with suitable labels. Use AAA sized paper with printing on one side only. Arrange the assignment report follow the sequence below: 1 . Submission form (is a cover page, you can download from. Plagiarism statement (you can download from Cell- PART 3 FILE) 3.Plagiarism statement form (you can download from Cell Features Checklists (you can download from Cell – PART 2 FILE) 5. Acknowledgement 6. Table of Contents 7. Word report 8. Powering presentation slides Note: Printed in Landscape Orientation with 4 slides in a sheet 9. References (follow Harvard Referencing System) Note: Inappropriate referencing style will cause marks deduction Save a softly of Powering presentation in a CD for Submission. (One tutorial class submit one CD ONLY which contains all different groups Powering slides show)

“Ozymandias” Themes Essay

The message or theme of the poem of â€Å"Ozymandias† is that man is insignificant and his efforts are vain when compared to the forces of time and nature. Shelly expertly uses diction in the poem to portray important ideas. By encompassing time and nature into a theme Shelley brings a divine sense to the poem. To consider the issue of the power of time and nature, the poet has the narrator reporting on a meeting with a traveler from ‘an antique land’ or Egypt, who told of seeing in the desert, the remains of a vast statue. Only the legs remained standing. The trunk was missing and the shattered face lay half buried in the sand, he told that the sculptor had skillfully captured the ‘frown, the wrinkled lip, and sneer’ on the ‘shattered visage’ through ‘passions well read.’ The importance of this traveler is that of symbolism. The traveler symbolizes the power that ‘Ozymandias’ has lost in his death. In health he was one of the most powerful people alive but now it takes a wandering traveler to spread a tale of the once great king. The power of nature is well represented by this part of the poem also. ‘Ozymandias’ told his subjects to ‘look on my works; ye Mighty, and despair!’ however, thanks to the power of nature there are barely and works left to look upon at all, let alone despair upon! It can be seen that nature has destroyed his works in the quotes, ‘shattered visage’ and ‘sand, half sunk.’ Thus the major theme of the poem is reavealed. The statue is described as a â€Å"colossal wreck boundless and bare† drawing a parallel for the reason in which it was built. The condition of the stones, descriptively worded by Shelley, only emphasizes the despair drawn into the stone by the sculptor’s hand. By using words such as â€Å"frown†, â€Å"sneer†, and â€Å"mocked†, the author provides us with a slight portrait of â€Å"Ozymandias.† It gives us a picture of a powerful king with no motivation or reason to smile. The phrase ‘cold command† portrays him as a militaristic leader that has seen more death and destruction than a whole army and has come to realize that even he is not able to compete with the Almighty. Shelley’s words â€Å"lifeless†, â€Å"decay†, and â€Å"wreck† apply not only to the statue the author is describing but also to the sculptor of the statue. These words encompass his entire being, and go far into bringing â€Å"Ozymandias alive in the reader. Shelley cunningly uses Nature and time to bring in the â€Å"Mighty† one. God is the only being that has been around since time and Nature began. He represents what â€Å"Ozymandias† could not achieve and that is immortality. â€Å"Ozymandias† did however leave a mark on the world but in time even that too will be overcome by the relentless forces of Nature and time that is God. In conclusion, the main themes of the poem are nicely summed up in mans insignificance to time and nature. Shelley also puts across the idea of despair superbly through delicate and subtle use of diction.

SmartAuthorSites.com Helps Authors Market Their Work

SmartAuthorSites.com Helps Authors Market Their Work There is nothing more satisfying- and challenging- than finishing up a novel. Thinking of a topic that you can sustain through thousands of words, creating a world for your characters, and coming up with an intriguing plot (or an intriguing way to present facts in a nonfiction book) is no small feat.But what happens after youve written your novel? Whether youre a first-time novelist or youve got three or four books under your belt, youre going to need to be able to market your book effectively so that you can sell copies to would-be readers. And in order to market to your audience well, one of the first things youll need is a high-quality author website.If youre not sure how to get started or you consider yourself completely clueless when it comes to design, SEO, and marketing, the website Smart Author Sites is here to assist you. On Smart Author Sites, you can learn about goals for your author site, SEO research, blogging, and use their design services to give your page an attractiv e look and feel.In addition to all of the available Smart Author Sites services, you can also keep up with all the latest book industry news and effective marketing tools for authors.I started this blog when I created Smart Author Sites back in 2006. It has undergone many redesigns since then, but the focus of it is the same. Its a place where I can share my learnings about what makes author websites work and what new authors can do to build online presences for themselves that will be worth the time and resources, says site creator Karina. I offer tips on how to design an author website, common problems and mistakes, myths being bandied about, new online trends that authors should jump on, how to properly optimize a blog for SEO and more. I like sharing my knowledge with all the struggling authors out there who have important stories to share with the world and helping them take their writing to new heights.In our post today, well go over the ins and outs of Smart Author Sites and whether or not it would be a good tool for an up-and-coming author to use.Services of Smart Author SitesSmartAuthorSites.com offers a variety of services to writers that save time, money, and offer convenience and guidance throughout the whole launch of your web presence. Here are the services that Smart Author Sites offers:Pre-Launch ServicesBefore the launch of your website, theres a lot to be done to prepare. First, the professionals at Smart Author Sites will need to gather some information from you on your book and what your goals are for the website. The staff at SmartAuthorSites.com will gather all of the info they need through a 30-minute phone conversation with you. On this phone call, theyll find out, for example, what the site is about, who the intended audience is, what will be unique about it, and what you envision would make it a success. From there, your professional will make recommendations on the following:URL/tagline/brandingWhat will be featured on your websiteWh at you want to promote and where and how to ensure successful site visitsContent tree and organization of your websiteCreative content ideas to accomplish goals youve come up with togetherAnother area that your professional will help you with is SEO research and implementation. SEO, or search engine optimization, is essentially strategy to help your website get to the top of searches on search engines like Google. One of the best ways to do this is through the usage of strategic keywords. Your team at Smart Author Sites will help you determine which keywords will provide the best success for you and they will recommend a list based on an algorithm of searches and competition. And not only will they identify these keywords, but theyll also recommend how you should implement the keywords in your website pages.Once you start to write the content for your site, your content will be reviewed and your team at Smart Author Sites will determine if you have enough content (or if you have too much), whether or not it could capture an audiences attention, and deciding if it needs any light editing or if you need help incorporating specific keywords.Additionally, the team at Smart Author Sites will assist you with blog consultation. Theyll help you determine how to come up with a theme, how to get ideas for a regular blogging schedule, how often you should be writing in your blog, how to optimize each post, how to build blog followers, how to turn your traffic into actual fans of your products, and how to use blog features like plug-ins and categorizations.Design and Development ServicesGood content is crucial for a website, but design is equally as important. Smart Author Sites has a partnership with 515 media, who will help you by creating an efficient, user-friendly and mobile-ready website design.Post-Launch ServicesAfter the website has launched, Smart Author Sites goes one step further than many website building companies, and theyll follow up with you on how your s ite is doing and provide regular analytics reports and analysis. Theyll check the overall site traffic numbers, the days that are the highest traffic (and try to help you figure out why that is), a breakdown of where your traffic is coming from, which pages people are visiting the most, which pages people are leaving quickest, and whether or not any technical issues are slowing down the site and making it less user-friendly.All of these data points are important to look at when you are trying to convert your visitors to actual customers so you can sell more of your product (your book).Types of Clientele Who Use SmartAuthorSites.comSince the start of the website in 2006, Smart Author Sites has helped over 500 authors in several different genres with their websites. They have helped everyone from self-published authors to authors who worked with a traditional publishing house. From thrillers to memoirs to childrens books, Smart Author Sites has helped design websites for a variety of authors who write in a wide range of subjects.Reviews from Real AuthorsIf youre an author, theres no other higher opinion that you trust more than a fellow author. Luckily, SmartAuthorSites.com has plenty of high praise from authors who have used their services.Here are just a few of the glowing reviews that are posted on their website:From start to finish, it was a pleasure working with Smart Author Sites. Karin, the company founder, helped me establish my goals for the website, she made excellent marketing suggestions, and she quickly comprehended the theme of my novel and built the site around that.Ann Weisgarber, historical fiction authorI enjoyed working with everyone on (Karins) staff and was particularly impressed with 1) the ability of their designer to produce an end-result in accordance with my specific ideas, and 2) the responsiveness of their primary coder... Karin has an excellent team. Im a happy client and proud of my website.Richard Bard, thriller authorMy experience felt personal as well as professional. It was a true pleasure! I would highly recommend Smart Author Sites to anyone who is looking for a top-notch website design partner that really knows their stuff AND cares about you and the results! I look forward to our continued partnership!P.J. Jackson, inspirational childrens authorWhats on the Smart Author Sites Blog?The Smart Author Sites blog is a useful spot on the website for authors to learn about new tools, apps, and trends in the literary sphere.Karina, the blogs author and owner of the site, writes on the blog regularly about insights into the industry that she believes would be helpful for authors. Whether you want to know more about the difference between strategic and generic marketing for authors or if youre trying to figure out how to market your latest book on Instagram, Karinas advice is very explanatory and has tons of examples throughout the content for you to follow along easily.The blog is very general in the fact that she is careful not to tailor it too much to self-publishing authors or authors who are going through a traditional publishing house. She is also explanatory when she needs to be for newer authors, but still has plenty of expert tips available for those who are familiar with the industry and who are looking to get a deeper level of insight into how to better market their books.A Site You Can Trust for Your Author PlatformAll in all, Smart Author Sites has a myriad of expert services and advice for authors of all levels. Once you have completed your novel and are starting to get serious about selling and marketing your books, it can be easy to fall into the trap of a gimmicky company with false promises. However, it appears that this company only has the best interest of the authors that they are working with.For more information on what Smart Author Sites has to offer, visit their website and fill out their contact form to learn more about how they can help you with your book promoti on.

Study Guide for Shakespeares Sonnet 29

Study Guide for Shakespeare's Sonnet 29 Shakespeare’s Sonnet 29 is noted as a favorite with Coleridge. It explores the notion that love can cure all ills and make us feel good about ourselves. It demonstrates the strong feelings that love can inspire in us, both good and bad. Sonnet 29: The Facts Sequence: Sonnet 29 is part of the Fair Youth SonnetsKey Themes: Self-pity, self-hatred, love overcoming feelings of self-deprecation.Style: Sonnet 29 is written in iambic pentameter and follows the traditional sonnet form Sonnet 29: A Translation The poet writes that when his reputation is in trouble and he is failing financially; he sits alone and feels sorry for himself. When no one, including God, will listen to his prayers, he curses his fate and feels hopeless. The poet envies what others have achieved and wishes he could be like them or have what they have: Desiring this man’s heart and that man’s scope However, when in the depths of his despair, if he thinks of his love, his spirits are lifted: Haply I think on thee, and then my state,Like to the lark at break of day arising When he thinks of his love his mood is elevated to the heavens: he feels rich and wouldn’t change places, even with kings: For thy sweet love remembered such wealth bringsThat I scorn to change my state with kings. Sonnet 29: Analysis The poet feels awful and wretched and then thinks about his love and feels better. The sonnet is considered by many to be one of Shakespeare’s greatest. However, the poem has also been scorned for its lack of gloss and its transparency. Don Paterson author of Reading Shakespeare’s Sonnets refers to the sonnet as a duffer or fluff. He derides Shakespeare’s use of weak metaphors: â€Å"Like to the lark at break of day arising/ From sullen earth...† pointing out that the earth is only sullen to Shakespeare, not to the lark, and therefore the metaphor is a poor one. Paterson also points out that the poem does not explain why the poet is so miserable. It is up to the reader to decide whether this is important or not. We can all identify with feelings of self-pity and someone or something bringing us out of this state. As a poem, it holds its own. The poet demonstrates his passion, mainly for his own self-loathing. This may  be the poet internalizing his conflicting feelings towards the fair youth and projecting or crediting any feelings of self-worth and self-confidence onto him, attributing the fair youth with the ability to affect his image of himself.

Tell Brak - Mesopotamian Capital in Syria

Tell Brak - Mesopotamian Capital in Syria Tell Brak is located in northeastern Syria, on one of the ancient major Mesopotamian routes from the Tigris river valley north to Anatolia, the Euphrates, and the Mediterranean Sea. The tell is one of the largest sites in northern Mesopotamia, covering an area of about 40 hectares and rising to a height of over 40 meters. In its heyday during the Late Chalcolithic period (4th millennium BC), the site covered an area of some 110-160 hectares (270-400 acres), with a population estimate of between 17,000 and 24,000. Structures excavated by Max Mallowan in the 1930s include the Naram-Sin palace (built about 2250 BC), and the Eye Temple, called that because of the presence of eye idols. The most recent excavations, led by Joan Oates at the McDonald Institute at Cambridge University, have re-dated the Eye Temple to ca 3900 BC and identified even older components at the site. Tell Brak is now known to be one of the earliest urban sites in Mesopotamia, and thus the world. Mud Brick Walls at Tell Brak The earliest identified non-residential structure at Tell Brak is what must have been an enormous building, even though only a small portion of the room has been excavated. This building has a massive entrance way with a basalt door-sill and towers on either side. The building has red mud brick walls which are 1.85 meters (6 feet)Â  thick, and even today stand 1.5 m (5 ft)Â  tall. Radiocarbon dates have placed this structure securely between 4400 and 3900 BC. A workshop of craft activities (flint-working, basalt grinding, mollusc shell inlay) has been identified at Tell Brak, as has a large building which contained mass-produced bowls and a unique obsidian and white marble chalice held together with bitumen. A large collection of stamp seals and so-called sling bullets were also recovered here. A feasting hall at Tell Brak contains several very large ​hearths and a quantity of mass-produced plates. Tell Braks Suburbs Surrounding the tell is an extensive zone of settlements covering an area of about 300 hectares, with evidence of use between the Ubaid period of Mesopotamia through the Islamic periods of the mid-first millennium AD. Tell Brak is connected by ceramic and architectural similarities to other sites in Northern Mesopotamia such as Tepe Gawra and Hamoukar. Sources This glossary entry is a part of the About.com guide to Mesopotamia , and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Charles M, Pessin H, and Hald MM. 2010. Tolerating change at Late Chalcolithic Tell Brak: responses of an early urban society to an uncertain climate. Environmental Archaeology 15:183-198. Oates, Joan, Augusta McMahon, Philip Karsgaard, Salam Al Quntar and Jason Ur. 2007. Early Mesopotamian urbanism: A new view from the north. Antiquity 81:585-600. Lawler, Andrew. 2006. North Versus South, Mesopotamian Style. Science 312(5779):1458-1463 Also, see the Tell Brak home page at Cambridge for more information.

School of Computer and Information Sciences Essay - 1

School of Computer and Information Sciences - Essay Example One needs to shape the future through intelligence and learned skills. This has been the reason why I have never hesitated to take into account of what my status in my home country Nepal had been (Assistant Professor) and what I have managed to achieve in the United States (PC Technician). Instead, I believe I make my own destiny by taking control of my actions, career, and future. For my actions, I am accountable to no one but my own conscience (well perhaps to the law). I follow the rationale that if my actions does not harm any one than it cannot be that bad. As long as I respect my neighbors, comply with the law, and go about my own work, I am following the general rule of citizenry. For my career, I believe in shaping it through hard work and intelligent choices. I have never been shy of hard work therefore that is not a problem. Making an intelligent choice needs a bit of consideration. In the course of my study for my Master's degree in Chemistry at CU, Denver I have learned hands-on how to operate the computer from scratch. It took a while with lots of frustration to get the hang of it but I have managed to understand its dynamics. Today, I have knowledge of Windows XP, Vista and Microsoft Office 2007. But what has really sparked my interests in computer science has been the ability to logically manipulate it and create new things out of it. Like chemis try, computers change the way one view and perceive things. It is like a chemistry formula which can transform liquid to gas or to an entirely different form of matter. Computers too change the construct and elements of data to different forms and use for different users. How a few pieces of hardware can modify, develop and present information to the whole world in a different manner is a fascinating phenomenon for me. And like chemistry, I feel, computer science is a logical subject and I would be able to grasp its dynamics in no time.

Strategic Development Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Development - Case Study Example The techniques which support strategic development and have been selected to be focused on in this paper are the balanced score card technique and that of SWOT analysis and TOWS matrix. The balanced score card approach is a performance management tool which measures the small scale operation activities of an organization and aligns the objectives to the vision and the min strategy of the organization. "Balance score card is a tool designed to give companies the right information to effectively manage the tactics that support their business strategy. It is divided into four areas, the financial, customer, learning and growth perspectives, and internal business process." (Pangarkar, & Kirkwood, 2007) Through the methodology of the balanced score card the perspectives of the business or the organization are divided into four different perspectives which have been highlighted as the financial,, the customer, the internal process and the innovation and learning perspectives. Each perspective is then assigned various key point indicators which can be used to measure the performance. These can include cash flow, ROI, financial result, return on capital, and return on equity for the financial perspective, delivery [performance to customer, quality performance to customer satisfaction rate, customer loyalty and customer retention for the customer perspective. The internal business process perspective can include KPI's like number of activities, opportunity success rate, accident ratios and overall equipment effectiveness, while the KPI's for the learning and growth perspective include the investment rate, the illness rate, the internal promotions, the employee turnover, and any gender racial ratios. Case Summary The case that has been selected is that of Neilson Manufacturing Incorporated. The company has employed the balanced score card approach for determining the strategy for improving the performance of the suppliers for the lean manufacturing organization. The case puts forward the mechanism employed, and the score card methodology used to improve the performance of its suppliers. The specific steps that are taken by the company to improve the supplier performance pertain to designing and implementing a score card based supplier performance model for the metal fabrication manufacturer. The score card is developed as a three part score card at the site of the case study. The case also provides the challenges that are present for the designing and the implementation of the strategy for development and improvement of supplier performance. Neilson manufacturing incorporated is a medium sized metal fabricator operating from Salem in "NMI is ISO 9001:2000 certified and offers high flexibility fabrication services including laser cutting, punching, forming, welding, printing, and silk-screening. The company's primary focus is in the electronics industry. Products produced by NMI include mainframe server cabinets; high end test cabinets for wafer, chip, and circuit board test equipment; enclosures for clean room applications and telecommunications

Dessertation proposal (Impact of Strategic HR Management on Business Essay

Dessertation proposal (Impact of Strategic HR Management on Business Performance) - Essay Example This is in recognition of the fact that different countries have different national cultures and physical and socio-cultural environments. Much research has been conducted on the effectiveness of strategic human resource management in the United States, Britain and other European countries while very little has been done to establish its effectiveness in companies that are based in the Middle East. This research study seeks to fill this gap and will use xxxx Company that is based in Saudi Arabia as a case study. Since the Middle East is so wide, this research will use one company (xxxx Company) as a case study. This is also done in consideration of the huge resources that may be needed to conduct the research in several organizations. Strategic human resource management (SHRM) is concerned with the establishment and development of collection of policies and programs that are consistent with an aim of facilitating the achievement of a company’s strategic objectives according to Armstrong and Baron (2002). SHRM is designed to help organizations meet best the needs of their workers or employees while at the same time promoting the company’s strategic goals. According to Boxall and Purcell (2003), human resource management practices are those actions and decisions that are concerned with the management of employees and that are related to the strategic implementation of measures that are aimed at sustaining the business’ competitive advantage. These practices cut across all levels and play a great role in the development of a working culture. SHRM practices include staff appraisal systems, recruitment and firing practices, work flexibility arrangements, training, and remuneration systems. Other experts have defined SHRM as the practice of proactively managing people. This therefore means that it involves thinking ahead and making plans that will enable the company to meet in a better

Social Performance,Part 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Performance,Part 1 - Essay Example Primary stakeholders are the people who stand directly to be affected either positively or negatively by the company’s actions. The Alabama company primary stakeholders include it customers, and suppliers. Customers have played a very vital role to the success of Alabama Power Company. They have been the main source of funds running the company’s operations (Atkins, 2006). Through the money paid by customers in their monthly payment of their electricity bills, Alabama Power Company has been able to meet over three quarters of its financial obligations. It is estimated that 80% of the funds used by Alabama power company comes from customers either paying their electricity bills or entry of new customers who come to seek the help of Alabama power company in case of power failure in their houses. Suppliers are also key primary stakeholders who heavily facilitate the functioning and effective running of Alabama power Company. Southern Company is the main suppliers of all the necessary equipments necessary for the generation of electricity by Alabama Power Company (Atkins, 2006). Finally the other key primary stakeholders of the Alabama power company are the employees. Alabama company employees have for long been the backbone towards the success of the company. They always utilize their technical and technological skills in their daily duties to ensure the company operations are successful. They have always provided necessary help to customer on behalf of the company. Some of the secondary stakeholders of Alabama Power Company include the government, the general public, and the media. For instance, the state government has in many occasions helped the Alabama power company to operate even in case of financial difficulties. To some extent, the government has severally exempted the company from taxes during economic downturn periods (Atkins, 2006). This has helped the company to continue being operational even in times of

Managment in Assisted Living Facility Research Paper

Managment in Assisted Living Facility - Research Paper Example 11)†¦.. TRANSITION PARAGRAPH Park University is conducting this research work related to management that includes such topics that help the organizations to improve their productivity in better way. BODY This research paper is related to management that covers lot of topics such as: (a) diversity management, (b) ethical, social and legal responsibilities, (c) international business†¦, (XXXXX & YYYY, 2009, p. 18). Diversity Management Now a day’s Diversity management is become an important issue for managers. Usually human resource managers initiate it and department heads and supervisors try to manage it. The idea of diversity management style is to encourage employees to feel free and comfortable their work places and develop an appreciation in particular areas such as race, gender, background, sexual orientation or any other factors that may not be shared by everyone working in the same area of the company. It can be adopted in different organizational environments and can be integrated with different management styles. For example if you are promoting recognition and acceptance of diversity among employees then hostile workplace environment can be converted into welcoming environment where people feel free to communicate, share and support to each other in any task associated with job. This thing definitely helps in increasing the productivity level in an organization. Now the question is what the benefit of diversity management program is. One of the main advantages of diversity management is that it helps to encourage the development of skills and talent among employees. Employees begin to feel valued and be ready to leave their comfort zones and enhance their skills for the benefit of departmental team and company as a whole. Basically what diversity do, it acknowledges and uses these inherent differences and move towards creativity and innovation for the better performances and competitive challenges. Diversity not only focuses on how pe ople perceive themselves but also how they perceive people. This thing effects their interaction. Successful organizations recognize the need for immediate action and are ready and willing to spend resources on managing diversity in the workplace now. There are some benefits of workplace diversity are: 1- Increased adaptability 2- Broader service range 3- Variety of viewpoints 4- More effective execution Some challenges are also mentioned here according to Josh Greenberg that are: 1-Communication 2-Resistance to change 3-Implementation of diversity in the workplace policies 4-Successful Management of Diversity in the Workplace 5-Assessment of diversity in the workplace (By Josh Greenberg is President of Alpha Measure, Inc. located in Boulder, Colorado. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/11053) Here i can quote the example of Graham School of General Studies at the University of Chicago who designed a program for implementing

Orgabizational analysis---TOYOTA Research Paper

Orgabizational analysis---TOYOTA - Research Paper Example The philosophy of lean aimed at preserving value with less work done. This philosophy has been driving the Toyota Company for decades. Lean manufacturing emphasizes on efficiency by optimizing the flow of work, ensuring that there is minimum waste and use of intuition to make decisions rather than accepting the idea that existed before (Jeffery, 2004). Historically, there were changes that took place in Japan which forced the Toyota Company to restructure its operation and management systems in order to meet the needs of its customers. Towards the end of 1949, a collapse in sales made Toyota to layoff part of its workforce. Toyota engineers came to a conclusion that Taylor’s scientific management theory of mass production was not effective and efficient. From this conclusion, they came up with Toyota production system that emphasized on quality control and aggressively sought to eliminate waste and other causes of production defects. Japan had just lost the world war two, so Toyota president aimed at competing at the same level with America in terms of production and quality within three years. The principle of just in time was applied so that there was continuous flow process; the right parts needed in assembling hall reach the destination at the right time and only in amount needed. The other principle is automation which meant that there was dramatic improvement in productivity in that whenever a defect product was detected, the machine stopped automatically to shield the operation from producing more defects. Also, in the Toyotas assembly, assembly lines pulled liens were introduced which allowed operators to detect a problem whenever it occurred thus making everyone in the assembly hall aware of the problem (Jeffery, 2004). The success of Toyota Company in the market has been attributed to lean production system. The basic concepts that

Managment in Assisted Living Facility Research Paper

Managment in Assisted Living Facility - Research Paper Example 11)†¦.. TRANSITION PARAGRAPH Park University is conducting this research work related to management that includes such topics that help the organizations to improve their productivity in better way. BODY This research paper is related to management that covers lot of topics such as: (a) diversity management, (b) ethical, social and legal responsibilities, (c) international business†¦, (XXXXX & YYYY, 2009, p. 18). Diversity Management Now a day’s Diversity management is become an important issue for managers. Usually human resource managers initiate it and department heads and supervisors try to manage it. The idea of diversity management style is to encourage employees to feel free and comfortable their work places and develop an appreciation in particular areas such as race, gender, background, sexual orientation or any other factors that may not be shared by everyone working in the same area of the company. It can be adopted in different organizational environments and can be integrated with different management styles. For example if you are promoting recognition and acceptance of diversity among employees then hostile workplace environment can be converted into welcoming environment where people feel free to communicate, share and support to each other in any task associated with job. This thing definitely helps in increasing the productivity level in an organization. Now the question is what the benefit of diversity management program is. One of the main advantages of diversity management is that it helps to encourage the development of skills and talent among employees. Employees begin to feel valued and be ready to leave their comfort zones and enhance their skills for the benefit of departmental team and company as a whole. Basically what diversity do, it acknowledges and uses these inherent differences and move towards creativity and innovation for the better performances and competitive challenges. Diversity not only focuses on how pe ople perceive themselves but also how they perceive people. This thing effects their interaction. Successful organizations recognize the need for immediate action and are ready and willing to spend resources on managing diversity in the workplace now. There are some benefits of workplace diversity are: 1- Increased adaptability 2- Broader service range 3- Variety of viewpoints 4- More effective execution Some challenges are also mentioned here according to Josh Greenberg that are: 1-Communication 2-Resistance to change 3-Implementation of diversity in the workplace policies 4-Successful Management of Diversity in the Workplace 5-Assessment of diversity in the workplace (By Josh Greenberg is President of Alpha Measure, Inc. located in Boulder, Colorado. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/11053) Here i can quote the example of Graham School of General Studies at the University of Chicago who designed a program for implementing

What Are Good Industrial Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

What Are Good Industrial Relations - Essay Example Industrial relations involve efforts to create workable solutions between conflicting objectives and values, between incentive and economic security, discipline and industrial democracy, authority and freedom, and between bargaining and cooperation (â€Å"Industrial Relations†, 2012). They not only affect the interests of labor and management but also the economy addressed by the government. They denote matters such as the right to organize, freedom of association, and collective bargaining and arbitration between various levels of the economy (Sivarethinamohma, 2010). As seen in the above definitions, industrial relations are chiefly the relations between employers and employees, reflecting the outcome of human resources management. Their main emphasis is to accommodate the interests of other parties and maintain a harmony through problem solving between employers and employees. Industrial relations are governed by policies, rules, regulations, agreements, mediations, acts an d awards concerning workplace and working community. Industrial relations analysts have described three major theoretical approaches that are different in explaining and analyzing relations at workplaces. These are pluralist theory, unitarism, and radical perspectives. Each one provides a unique understanding of relations at workplaces and therefore, uniquely interprets factors such as conflicts, the role of trade unions, and work regulation (Barbash & Barbash,

The Use Of Celebrities In Advertising Cultural Studies Essay

The Use Of Celebrities In Advertising Cultural Studies Essay In my third and last year as an Office Management student I had the assignment of writing a paper for the International Marketing course. I could choose one of the teachers topics or find one myself. I have decided to pick the topic: the differences between Western and Asian culture. This was one of the many subjects offered by the teacher. There is a lot to say about this aspect, which is why I have decided to pick two countries and to dig deeper in their culture, and their point of view regarding to advertisement. The United States and Japan will be discussed in this document and I will add several examples to give a better view on the subject. I have chosen these two countries because they are totally different from each other, what makes it the more or less easy to spot differences. The United States is for me the place to be when it comes to celebrity endorsement. Even though the two cultures are not the same, there is a link and this will be explained in the paper. I expect to receive better understanding of the two cultures but also have a look behind the scenes. I am anxious to learn whether the use of celebrity does have impact on the brand and if that impact is positive for the brand. The paper will be handled in English. I have chosen to do so, because the course and my exam were in English, and the fact that the teacher did an effort to speak in English during the course, I have found it disrespectful not to make the same effort and write this paper in English. Before starting with my main subject I would like to explain some basic things. The term celebrity is widely used for every person that comes on TV. But for companies and brands, they are more than that. Furthermore I will start with the use of celebrity, mainly in the States and tackle the marketing strategy a little bit. My paper consists of two countries, that is why Japan will come next. The differences between these two countries will be tackled by the end along with some examples. A celebrity isà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Also called a celeb and it is a person that is generally recognized in a society or a culture. People can become famous in different ways: through their profession, appearances in the mass media, beauty and even crime. Through mass media, starting in the 19th and 20th century, celebrities are known in a relatively short time nationally or internationally. This can sometimes occur very fast. Like Neil Armstrong being the first man walking over/on the moon in 1969, got famous in a nick of time. Celebrities appear in public in a different way, you and me can walk on the street unnoticed without anybody carrying. For celebs it is the other way around, they are walking advertising poles. From head to toe fans analyse the clothes and brands they are wearing. Furthermore they appear in public when fulfilling their jobs, like a tennis player in front of an audience. And also while attending events, like the Academy Awards, premieres of movies, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The news, fashion magazines and even tabloids provide second source information concerning their private life. Besides doing what they do, they also endorse a brand, and act as spokespeople in advertising and on events to promote their brand. Or should I say the brand they work for. The most logical question is does this celebrity endorsement do some good to the brand? A study of Till, Stanley, Priluck in 2008 explains us that celebrity endorsement is used in marketing, because it is believed that the consumers perception of the product improves. According to McCracken (1989) a celebrity endorser is an individual who has gained public awareness and uses this awareness in commercials and advertisements on behalf of consumer products. The use of celebrities in advertising: the States When Nike started collaborating with golf icon Tiger Woods, there was a lot of scepticism about the introduction of NIKE to the golf market.  Indeed, the image of NIKE was not consistent with the image of the elite sport of golf.  It is through the use of Tiger Woods in the marketing strategy that NIKE could successfully position itself in the golf market. Nike is one of the many multinationals which makes use of celebrity endorsers in its marketing strategy. Other famous brands that call upon a celebrity to endorse are Pepsi with David Beckham. The famous advertising commercials of Nepresso where we admire a charismatic George Clooney. For companies it is very interesting to make use of celebrity endorsers since advertisements with celebrities, creates more attention than ads or commercials without celebrities.   The celebrity endorser is not necessarily an actor or a movie star, there may for example also be considered athletes, musicians, artists and politicians. Although he passed away a long time ago, in this ad we see one of the United States most popular president, John F. Kennedy for an Omega advertising. However it is not so that celebrity endorsement guarantees success.  The success of using this marketing strategy depends on the values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹that the celebrity endorser gives to the product.  It is even possible that the celebritys own image and values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹can be transferred to the product. Not only theory but also practice has shown us that the use of celebrities generates a lot of publicity. Yet these endorsements can cost a lot of money to companies. For instance Venus Williams has signed a five-year contract worth 40 million dollars, to promote and endorse Reebok. Back in the days when he was the most popular athlete in the World, Michael Jordan had signed a contract for 20 million dollars with NIKE. This proved to be very lucrative for Nike, because the AIR Jordan was for a long time very famous and every teen on the block bought the shoe. All of these celebrities gain more from endorsement contracts than from the sport they practice. That is why celebrity endorsements increase every year. In 2007, celebrities in the United States were used in 25% of all TV commercials. What is marketing communication? A company has many audiences. Consumers and other customers are only a small part of the target groups. Marketing communication can be described as getting in touch with trade and or consumers to influence their knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in a direction that is favourable for the marketing policy. The different marketing communication tools are used to influence positively the choices of the (potential) consumers. These marketing tools can be deployed at different levels. A distinction is made between the cognitive, affective and conative phase. Within the cognitive phase, the goal is to familiarize the customer with the product or the company. The affective phase is aimed at the emotions. Within this phase the customer needs to develop emotions and feelings towards the product or the company. The conative and affective phase can often be combined. In the conative stage, the customer actually makes a purchase. It is obvious that all companies aim to fulfil the last phase. A little bit of marketing strategy In this part of the paper I will dig a little bit deeper in the marketing strategy. The celebrity needs to match the brand, they are not randomly chosen by companies, just for fun. It is a whole strategy and a detailed process that comes along. I will also talk about what is important to guarantee the success of the brand and on what companies focus when choosing their celebrities. It can be said that celebrity endorsement is widely used because research indicates that the impact of celebrity endorsement is a positive investment in the marketing of a brand. However, it is not always successful. It is important for companies that they use celebrities in an efficient way in their strategy. The question is whether celebrity endorsement is the way to go when introducing new products into the market. Research indicates that about half of the marketing budget is spent on marketing when launching new products. Companies are willing to spend a lot of money, because on average 40% of product launches fail. Because so much money is spent on the marketing of new products, there is a greater chance that many companies will opt for celebrities in their commercials and ads (advertisements). This is one of the most expensive options within marketing communications. The focus is therefore on the impact of celebrity endorsement in marketing strategies of new products. With the introduction of new products, consumer uncertainty is relatively higher than the existing products. This consumer uncertainty should be removed with a good marketing policy. With high consumer uncertainty, new products should be brought more to the attention of consumers than already existing products. So that the consumers uncertainty is no longer present. It may also be noted that consumers dealing with new products still have no awareness of the product and thus no positive attitude is yet developed. This is necessary because it leads to purchase intent. Two dimensions: Attractiveness and credibility If companies want their brand to be successful throughout the help of a celebrity, there are two dimensions that they must take into account. The two dimensions of interest are namely the attractiveness and credibility of the celebrity. Several studies indicate that these two dimensions may be crucial for the success of celebrity endorsement in marketing strategy. In addition to these dimensions they also take a look at the match-up principle and the ability to use multiple celebrities in an add or advertisement. The match-up principle will be treated in this paper as this is a generally accepted principle in the choice of celebrity endorsement. Attractiveness of the celebrity The first dimension is to take into account the attractiveness of the celebrity. If an attractive celebrity is used, it is more likely that awareness is created among the target audience than when using an unattractive celebrity. This awareness is eventually to be transformed into a positive attitude of the brand. The attractiveness of the celebrity has namely a positive effect on the attitude of consumers towards the brand or product advertising .The dimension attractiveness of the celebrity is formed by the physical appearance, intelligence, athletic ability and the lifestyle of the celebrity. Based on these factors the company should decide which celebrity is suitable for his or her product or brand. Credibility of the celebrity The second dimension concerns the credibility of the celebrity. Credibility is divided into two factors: expertise and trustworthiness. Expertise of the celebrity is perceived by consumers on the basis of the allegations that the celebrity is doing in advertising. Reliability, however, is perceived as to whether the celebrity can achieve the results from the advertising or ad in his real life. Research shows that companies with good credibility factors interact within the advertising, as the celebrities generally are regarded as credible. This is crucial because the credibility of the celebrity can affect the opinions, attitudes and behaviour of the target group. The match-up principle The success of the collaboration between celebrity and the brand or product depends to a large extent on the match-up principle. The match-up basically revolves around the congruence (being suitable and appropriate) between the celebrity and the brand or product. With congruence, I mean the consistency between the characteristics of the celebrity and the product attributes. This is particularly important because the celebrity can convey its values on the product or brand without changing the product or brand image. A good match-up creates a more positive attitude of the consumers. I personally hate to see ads that use celebrities when it is obvious that the celebrity does not match the brand at all. To explain the match-up principle better, I will briefly discuss the three phases: Phase 1: In this stage, a number of values are associated with the celebrity. These values occur on the basis of the celebs appearances in the (mass) media. Consumers understand the significance and reflect it on the celebrity. Phase 2: In this phase, the values and image of the celebrity are associated with the product, through an official endorsement. Phase 3: During this phase, the values, by working with the brand or product, clearly belong to the consumer. Because the consumers associate the values of the celebrity with the values of the product they will proceed to purchase and consume the product. Multiple celebrities in an advertising or promotional One way to merge the above factors is the use of several celebrities in an advertisement or promotion. The company must then choose celebrities who complement each other within the advertising or ad. This could be, for example, the attractiveness of the celebrities chosen for an athlete and someone with an intelligent mind. To ensure credibility, a knowledgeable person and a trustworthy person can be used. Gillette, for example, is a company that applies several celebrities in its ads by using Roger Federer, Thierry Henry and Tiger Woods. An important argument for the choice of several celebrities in the marketing of a company, in these ways different audiences can be reached on the basis of a celebrity who fits in this group. When using multiple celebrities, multiple values will be linked to the product. The risks of celebrity endorsements Although there are examples that indicate that celebrity endorsement can be a good idea, there are the necessary risks. When it is assumed that all conditions of the right person for the right product are satisfied, there are two points to worry about. The greatest risk is the celebrity itself. Celebrity branding is all about transferring the value of a person on a product. The two concerns are: How long will the fame remain, and can the celebrity retain its status? The second concern is the life of celebrity, his personal integrity. If he is embroiled in a scandal, that could destroy the brand. Before Michael Jackson ended in a scandal, he had a successful deal with Pepsi. Naturally Pepsi had to stop the contract in order to prevent damage to the brand. Also O.J. Simpson was once the face of a car rental company. After the accusations of the murder of his wife, his contract was also stopped. It is very bad for a brand to be associated with an alleged murderer or paedophile. Although there are brands that hire intentionally stars with a wrong image, this is a risky step. Pepsi made again a wrong decision, by taking this risk to use hip-hop star Ludacris in its campaigns. Ludacris disrespectful attitude and his rap songs full with cursing did not match-up with the brand. After a campaign was started by a conservative politician against this endorsement, Pepsi was forced by public pressure to stop the deal with Ludacris. Although one should avoid bad publicity, it is a fact that on the international market celebrity endorsements are very suitable to create a distinctive brand. That the rules of celebrity endorsement in Japan differ from those of the West is largely due to the difference in culture, more on that later. Brands must be careful with the choices they make. When they choose a celebrity with the right personality traits, these characteristics will also be awarded to the brand and the brand will take advantage from it. If the wrong person is chosen his or her personality traits will be awarded to the brand causing the end of the brand. Very well accepted and attractive super stars like Bruce Willis and Whitney Houston failed in turning their endorsements into success. Simply assuming that a person just has to be famous to represent a brand is incorrect. A considerable number of failures prove the opposite. In the figure below you can see some of the endorsements that turned out to be a success or a failure. Lets go Asian: Japan and its celebrity endorsement In East Asian countries like Japan and South Korea, many celebrities are used in advertising. In Japan, 70 % of TV commercials use a celebrity from the sports, music, film, and fashion or entertainment business. Celebrities are used as endorsers with a statement about the quality of the product / brand or are shown only in relation to the brand /product. The idea is that the values and associations of the celebrity will be transferred to the brand and the brand by the user. Moreover, it is a form of product differentiation as other awards from competing brands is not possible or desirable. But why is the use of celebrities in Japan so much greater than in the United States and Europe? In Japan they do not only use Western and Japanese celebrities, but also talents. These are young Japanese who are on their way to the top in the worlds of fashion, music, film and entertainment. Advertising for these talents is their way to fame. Japanese advertising does not only use the reputation and associations of established celebrities, but also creates celebrities. And this goes a step further than the ads in the States. Japanese talents are normal people like you and me. They are slightly good looking, pretty much the girl or boy next door. They form a peer group with which one can easily identify. In a collectivist culture belonging to a group or identifying with that group is very important. In Japanese advertising values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹related to face and harmony lead to an indirect communication style. They feel uncomfortable with a commercial that takes that emphasise on situations or facts. A direct approach is seen as an insult to the intelligence of the consumer. The goal of advertising in the Japanese ads is to make the consumer your friend, to win his trust and respect. This goal can be achieved by entertaining the audience. Identification of the brand, the company name or product in the commercial is less important than the pleasant voices of consumers. Japanese advertisers generally use much of the time in the commercial for building trust, understanding and dependence. The result is a kind of advertising that appeals to the imagination and few to the facts. Advertising show usually no product attributes, the fun of advertising is more important. In Japanese commercials you see serenity, and nature symbols. The tone of voice is indirect, subtle, with lots of symbolism. Comparative advertising is a confrontation and is therefore seen as denigrating the competition. This is in conflict with the Asian value of harmony. The style and manner of presentation is important. A pretty picture, a story or a poem can be important parts of the advertisement. Values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹and appeals found in their advertising are respect for elders. The relationship of man with nature / the unity with nature is often the subject of advertising. Japanese are crazy about celebrities. A product is often associated with celebrities, who often represent the target. If Western models, celebrities or situat ions are used, it is only as a symbol of prestige and status: they are not intended to illustrate the western values. In Japan, a part of television and popular culture is strongly linked to the entertainment world. Songs are often especially composed for use in commercials. Differences between Western and Asian cultures There are several cultural differences that may explain the use of celebrities. While the American culture is characterized by individualism, in Japan it is more the collectivist culture. In a collectivist culture they emphasize on conformity, adaptation and obedience. We, the European and American see this as negative values, but in Japan, this is well appreciated. Celebrities fit better in a collectivist than an individualist culture. In Japan they highly look up to celebrities, especially a Western celebrity. You will also see many Western celebrities in Japanese advertising, which I will explain later on. The power distance is quite large. The statements of celebrities are followed uncritically because they are not famous for nothing. Their values rays on the brand that they support, and also on the user of that brand. Power distance and individualism-collectivism are the key explanations for the difference between East Asian and Western countries. These are two of the four Hofst ede dimensions of culture. For the other two dimensions (uncertainty avoidance and masculine-feminine) there is no large difference, even though Japan is the most masculine country in the world. In a masculine country performance and success are central, in a feminine country caring for others and quality of life is more important. Advertising is strongly influenced by culture, especially in comparisons between East Asia, Europe and North America. But even between Asian countries there are cultural differences. Some campaigns may be used in several countries, but in most cases adaptation is necessary to make an effective campaign. And in many cases adaptation is inadequate and separate campaigns must be developed for each country taking into account the national culture. View of Western culture on celebrity endorsement Celebrities and marketing go well together. There is indeed a lot of money to distribute. A study of GMI revealed that consumers, especially in the Western world are almost insensitive to the advertisements with celebrities. The celebrity endorsement, according to the agency GMI might not be as effective as many believe. In certain western markets, the strategy used did not succeed to increase the value of the product nor to persuade the consumer to buy the product The researchers note that the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement in promoting brands depends on the local culture. In the Western world they are the most indifferently towards the use of celebrities in advertising, tells GMI. In the United States 79% of the respondents indicated that a celebrity has no effect on the way they think about a product. Only 13% admitted that through celebrity endorsement the value of the brand increases. But in Japan, it is a completely different situation, said GMI. In Japan, 60% thinks that celebrities give a product more value. The study also shows that consumer find other techniques such as free samples, mouth-to-mouth are more efficient than celebrity endorsements. These techniques influence their buying behaviour slightly more. In the United States 34% of the consumers think this way. In Japan, 29% of those surveyed found advertising after the free samples the most efficient way to convert to a purchase. It took word-of-mouth advertising only 12%. Celebrity endorsement has proved most successful, implying that celebrities played an important role in their purchasing decision. Global media can create global stars. But consumers are much more sophisticated and less inclined to swallow simple, uniform marketing messages. The great indifference of consumers in the West may even be a sign that celebrity endorsement can have the opposite effect and repel consumers. American finest celebrities head to Japan Many American stars earn large sums of money by linking themselves to brands as a spokesperson by recommending certain products. Others appear nowhere in advertising because they do not want their fans to think they are selling out. However, many of these stars cannot resist the temptation to go abroad and appear in commercials and ads. Nowhere is this truer than in Japan. Even the richest and most famous people do not just say no to advertisers who pay them one to three million U.S. dollars for a couple of hours of work. And this is for a commercial that lasts 15 to 20 seconds. Mega stars like Meg Ryan, Demi Moore, Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford received millions to appear in a Japanese commercial. Meg Ryan makes recommendations for cosmetics and tea, Brad Pitt promotes tins of coffee and jeans, and Demi Moore tries to persuade the Japanese audience to purchase protein drinks. Ford received several millions to appear shirtless on ads and commercials for Kirin Beer (see below). Sometime s stars are even forced to change their image and personality to better suit the style of advertising, this is needed to fit the Japanese companies. Even the Japanese public has a different flavour than people in the West are used to have. What we, in Europe and the U.S., perceive as cheap is seen in Japan as a very normal and effective way to advertise. In a commercial for shampoo, famous actor Dennis Hopper appeared in a bathtub player with a rubber duck. There are several reasons why Japanese companies are willing to pay large amounts for these stars. Many Japanese are fascinated by the American culture and American stars. It also gives a brand an American international star status. In Japanese commercials, style and atmosphere are more important than dull product information and testimonials. Japanese are very sensitive to entertainment. Because a commercial in Japan only last 15 seconds, a western star is easily recognized and the attention of the viewer is directly captured, w hich is more worth than money. American film studios also encourage celebrities to appear in Japanese commercial lay. In this way it is easier for American films to attract the Asian population. Often the release of a new film and the appearance of the star of this film in Japanese ads fall together. While many stars go abroad for advertising, they all try to protect their image at home. There are even clauses in the contracts stating that the commercial must not be shown outside of Japan and sometimes even be discussed. With the growth of the Internet it is possible that stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger secrecy about their advertising activities are likely to remain unnoticed for the American public. Above you have just read why Japanese are less picky when it comes to match-up than for example in America. Also it seems that the credibility aspect is less of an issue in Japan. If you are a celebrity, youre in Japan, by definition, credible, match up or not. Yet it is true that these endorsements in Japan are inde ed profitable. The public in Japan is in the long term a lot more loyal than the audience in the West. If a celebrity in Japan is loved, this will remain even if the celebrity has disappeared from the spotlight. The website japander.com made an index with all of American celebrities that appear in Japanese advertising. Conclusion I can now say with proud that I have chosen the right countries to tackle this difficult but at the same time interesting topic. I am sure that many students would think that it is easy to discuss this subject, because there is a lot of information on the internet and in books. Well I can tell them that a lot of information makes it harder to write something, because it is up to the writer to eliminate unnecessary information and to write in a way that is readers friendly. My hardest task was to make sure that I removed what is not relevant and to dig deeper in the part that was relevant. Thanks to experienced authors such as Grant McCracken, Stanley and many others it became easier for me to understand what I was writing about. Their view on culture and celebrities and the way they explain it was a relief to me. This paper taught me that celebrities take a big bite in the budget of a company. Nevertheless this kind of technique in marketing is increasing and will remain because stud y does show us that it is very profitable for a brand to use a celebrity. Even though in Japan they do not strictly follow the rule of match-up, I strongly believe that a match-up is needed to make an advertisement successful. Commercials, advertisements and endorsements where the celebrity has got absolutely nothing to do with the product is for me a no go. And in that match-up, according to me the most important aspect is credibility. I am not the first one to go and buy a product once a celebrity tells me to do so, but I could slightly get more interested in the brand if I notice a strong credibility in the ad. After reading several studies, information and documents I can conclude that the use of celebrities, when respecting the two dimensions I discussed in the paper, could have a very positive impact on the brand and the reputation of the company. I know I am supposed to thank in the beginning, but I have decided to do it know. I rather want the teacher to read my paper, so she could notice for herself what I am capable of, before I thank her for the support and counseling throughout the school year. Sources BOOKS Margolis J., Garrigan P., Guerrillamarketing voor dummies, 2008, Pearson Education Benelux, Amsterdam Kotler P., Marketing: de essentie, 2009, Pearson Education Benelux, Amsterdam De Mooij M., Wereldmerken : hoe reclame omgaat met cultuurverschillen, 1998, Alphen aan den Rijn, Samson WEBSITES Joyce Huijsman, Humor doesnttraval: Frank Sinatra spaghetti, (http://joycehuijsman.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/frank-sinatra-spaghetti/) University of Texas at Austin, Celebrity Advertising in Japan and Korea Doing it the Asian Way, PDF, (http://www.perfspot.com/docs/doc.asp?id=110674) The free library, Cultural differences in television celebrity use in the United States and Lebanon, (http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Cultural+differences+in+television+celebrity+use+in+the+United+States-a0208956138) Fred van Raaij, Beroemdheden en cultuur, (http://www.swocc.nl/column/beroemdheden-en-cultuur.php) Managing21, Westerling ongevoelig voor beroemdheden?, (http://managing21.skynetblogs.be/archive/2005/01/24/westerling-ongevoelig-voor-beroemdheden.html) McCann People, Sterren in reclame verleiden niet altijd, (http://mccannpeople.wordpress.com/2009/03/31/sterren-in-reclame-verleiden-niet-altijd/) The Pop history dig; JFK, Pitchman?, (http://www.pophistorydig.com/?tag=politicians-advertising) Colombia Business School, Celebrities impact on branding, PDF, (http://worldlywriter.com/images/portfolio/Proposals/Celebrity_Branding.pdf) Martin Stam, De invloed van celebritiyendorsement in de marketingcommunicatie strategie van nieuwe producten, PDF, (http://arno.uvt.nl/show.cgi?fid=116167) Bart Sikkema, Who will be your next celebrity endorser?, PDF, (http://essay.utwente.nl/58467/1/scriptie_B_Sikkema.pdf) Japander, Celebrity advertising, (http://www.japander.com) IMAGES All of the images were copied from Google (www.google.com) à £Ã†â€™Ã‚ Ãƒ £Ã†â€™Ã‚ ªÃƒ £Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ £Ã†â€™Ã†â€™Ãƒ £Ã†â€™Ã¢â‚¬ ° International Marketing Celebrity endorsement Hollywood

Christian Discipleship :: Religion Jesus Christianity Essays

Christian Discipleship Discipleship means ^one who follows^ or ^one who learns^ and this meaning has not changed over the centuries. The first disciples must have felt very special just as do today. Also, the first disciples were not fully understood and were rejected. This is true for disciples today aswell. The Bible is the most important reference for a Christian today. It contains all sorts of stories from the Old Testament and the New Testament. The New Testament concentrates on the life of Jesus which is probably more important to Christians than the Old Testament because Jesus^ death means that everyone has a chance to have all of their sins forgiven. The book I will be concentrating on is the gospel of Mark. Mark ^zoomed in^ on whom Jesus chose to be his disciples and what they were like. When people read Mark^s gospel they realise that you can be a disciple of Jesus no matter who you are. Jesus said, ^It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous but the sinners^ (Mark 2:17) Many people today see this and are inspired. They see that they too can be forgiven for all of their sins and lead a better life. Being a disciple today is nearly the same as being a disciple in the time of Jesus. As a disciple today you still have to have a true belief in God and to follow the word of Jesus. This is also true for disciples 2000 years ago. Christians today do not suffer as much as they did in the time of Jesus but in some countries Christians do get persecuted and even attacked or killed. The first twelve disciples are not so sacrificial and some probably wouldn^t give their life for God. However, there are still Christians who would do anything for God but this is only a small percent of Christians. The first twelve disciples weren^t just Christians straight away, they dropped all of their things to follow Jesus and spent years learning about God. Nowadays, many people wouldn^t just drop all of their things to follow someone they know nothing about. Many people are told about God and Jesus for a long time before becoming a Christian, just like in Emmanuel College in assemblies and in tutor prayer. Jesus told taught crowds of people that they must sacrifice everything to be a proper disciple. Some people want to learn more about Christianity but don^t want to be sacrificial in their living making them unable to be a disciple.

African American Hate Crimes in Gwendolyn Brook’s Poetry Essay

The murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri , the murder of a black teen for playing loud music in Florida, the Little Rock integration and all other forms of abuse or hate crimes done against African Americans will always be engraved in our history and in the hearts of all African Americans as a period of injustice. It was a common tragedy to lose a family member to one of the many riots assembled by the Ku Klux Klan or simply by a group of Caucasians determined to exterminate â€Å"niggers.† Many were able to see how detrimental hate crimes were through media. African Americans who owned magazines, newspapers and so forth were finally able to voice their opinions and tell their side of the story to balance out the usually biased media run by Caucasians. As a result of the exposed cruelty towards African Americans, blacks felt justified, some whites became enraged, and yet other whites began to feel guilty for devaluing the lives of African Americans. Brooks’s ballad â€Å"A Bronzeville Mother Loiters in Mississippi. Meanwhile, a Mississippi Mother Burns Bacon† illuminates the hate crime committed against a young African American boy and the guilt that consumes the speaker after she realizes her involvement caused his death. Brooks’s poem acts as a metaphor to convey how America (during the period of injustice) attempted to overlook the truth of the immoral crimes committed against African Americas, but as a result of publicized brutality, realized they were wrong. Background information regarding the death of Emmett Till will allow the reader to better understand how Brooks uses the ballad as a metaphor to represent Americas attempt to overlook the immoral acts committed against African Americans. According to â€Å"The Murder of Emmett Till,† an article addressing Emmett Till’s death and the media coverage on it, Till’s death was a prank gone wrong. â€Å"After picking cotton with his cousins all day, Till and his cousins took a joy ride with the family car to Bryant’s Grocery store where his cousins dared him to talk Carolyn Bryant (Brian). What happened as he was leaving is fiercely debated. Some white witnesses claimed he either said, "Bye, baby," or whistled at her, while others say that she became enraged after he simply put his change in the womans hand. Emmett Till’s alleged â€Å"fresh behavior† spread like wildf... ...acism seen in closed-minded individuals through Brooks’s use of fairy tale language and the depiction of the husband. Likewise, America is made up of both types of individuals, and through the use of publicized media, we can only hope to increase the knowledge of the senseless violence we known as hate crimes. After reading Brook's ballad one can only hope that Emmett Till and other victims of hate crimes will act as a reminder and provide an inclining of hope that another tragic death will not follow. Works Cited Brooks, Gwendolyn. â€Å"A Bronzeville Mother Loiters in Mississippi. While Mississippi Mother Burns Bacon.† Selected Poems. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. Print. Favat, F. Andrà ©.. Child and Tale: The origins of Interest. Urbana, Ill.: National Council of Teachers of English, c1977. Print. Mootry, Maria K. â€Å"Brook’s a bronzeville mother loiters in Mississippi. Meanwhile, a Mississippi mother burns bacon.† Explicator 42.4 (1984): p51, 2p Academic Search Complete. Web. 13 July 2011. Thorton, Brian. The Murder of Emmett Till. Journalism History 36.2 (2010): p396-104, 9p Academic Search Complete. Web. 13 July 2011.

Marriage in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Essay

The intricate nexus of marriage, money and love in Jane Austen’s society is unfolded through the development of plots and characters of her novel Pride and Prejudice. In the nineteenth century’s rural England, marriage was a woman’s chief aim, both financially and socially. Financially because of women’s dependent position marriage was the â€Å"only honourable position†, infinitely preferable to the dependence of precarious shabby-genteel spinsterhood. Money was, therefore, a very significant aspect of Austen’s society, especially when marriage was concerned. â€Å"A single man of large fortune† was naturally considered as â€Å"a nice thing† for the unmarried girls. Partners were chosen for what might now seem unemotional reasons: fortune and connections, similar to, but preferably better than one’s own. By representing a series of marriages, Austen in this novel unearths and elucidates different aspects of the role of marriage, money and love in her society. Austen was a realist and painted her time as they were. In this novel, love and money-based Darcy-Elizabeth marriage is the most successful one whereas the marriage of Elizabeth’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, is one of the faulty ones. Mr. Bennet married his wife being â€Å"captivated† and tempted by her â€Å"youth, beauty† and physical appearance. He forgot that the first appeal of a pretty face does not last long unless serenity of mind and sweetness of temper provide more enduring powers of attraction. Moreover, Mrs. Bennet inherited no property. So, form every point of view, this marriage is a failure. Mr. Bennet, therefore, always has to endure her â€Å"weak understanding†, vulgarity to such and extreme degree that he has nothing to revel in except confining himself to his library all the day, and thus eluding the necessary rituals of family and society. Charlotte’s loveless matrimony for financial security with the pompous Collins is another interesting marriage. Being twenty-seven and plain looking and realizing that it is her last chance, she accepts the grotesque Mr. Collins, to whom the role of romance and love in life is beyond the reach. He only wants a wife, because in the eyes of the society it is time for him to settle and be married. Charlotte knows that apart from some kind of security and happiness, marriage gives a woman a position. She has few hopes of happiness in marriage beyond the material comfort it can give and so she marries Collins who is inferior in intelligence, only for the ‘home and position’ he offers, as she believes â€Å"Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance†. The marriage and money theme operates in a baffling way when Elizabeth herself comes to marry. When she sees Pemberly, her ‘prejudice’ against Darcy begins to be ‘subdued’ and later by accepting him she makes the most glorious match of and of Austen’s heroines. The fact that Darcy has then thousand pounds a year is not to be ignored; it emphasizes the perfect adjustment between personal and social ambition achieved by Elizabeth. [Actually Jane Austen understood better than any other of her contemporary English novelists the degree to which social and personal behaviors and even emotion depend on the economic framework of the society.] Moreover, in her marriage with Darcy, affection and understanding, financial security and social engagement are juxtaposed. But to achieve all these material things she has never turned herself into a â€Å"husband-hunting butterfly† despite her mother’s inducement. Although she is aware of the fact that in her society a senile spinster, without any fortune, is faced with the prospect of a bleak future full of deprivation and humiliation, still she is the bold heroine who at first showed courage to refuse two marriage proposals. To Austen, sexuality was far less vital to relationships than its counterpart, affection. Therefore, Lydia’s ex-based marriage with the seductive but penniless Wickham later turns out to be an unsuccessful ones. Wickham’s plausible appearance even overwhelmed Elizabeth once. His former interest in Miss King and her â‚ ¤ 10,000 dowry alludes to the role of money in marriage. He only takes Lydia to London only for physical enjoyment. As a consequence, their marriage ends in his going â€Å"to enjoy himself in London† and Lydia’s patent failure in managing her household financially despite Darcy and Elizabeth’s continuous help. The Bingley-Jane marriage is another example of good marriage, like the Darcy- Elizabeth marriage, where mutual understanding, romance and financial  stability are combined. Their affection-based marriage works as both are perfectly amiable, modest and gentle. The established marriage of the Gardiners is too shadowy to have a dramatic role. We are only dimly aware of it as a satisfactory relationship between two apparently similar type of persons. In â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† we experience different marriages in the light of one another. Austen presents all the material for an al-round understanding and view: Jane and Elizabeth, combing love and marriage, Charlotte marries for safety, Lydia repenting at leisure. The married couples are equally varied, from well-matched like the Gardiners to ill-suited like the Bennets. The novel says in effect that the real object of love and marriage is not only financial security or physical passion or romance, but also the self-development that true relationships bring about. A marriage can only become an institution when it provides for the fulfillment of both men and women’s aspirations, sanctified by love and validated by prudence that both Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Collins can live on, the former drinking deep draughts of life’s fullness, the later continuing to sip its littleness. The richness of Pride and Prejudice lies in that exploration of life and marriage by Jane Austen.

Computer Crimes Ethics

March 17, 2013 March 17, 2013 David Miller: Portrait of a White-Collar Criminal David Miller: Portrait of a White-Collar Criminal Christine Quinones business info systems with lab Professor williams devry university Christine Quinones business info systems with lab Professor williams devry university Table of Contents How does Miller fit the profile of the average fraud perpetrator? How does he differ? How did these characteristics make him difficult to detect?†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Page 3 Explain the three elements of the opportunity triangle (commit, conceal, convert), and discuss how Miller accomplished each when embezzling funds from Associated Communications. What specific concealment techniques did Miller use?†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Page 3 What pressures motivated Miller to embezzle? How did Miller rationalize his actions?†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Page 4 Miller had a framed T-shirt in his office that said, â€Å"He who dies with the most toys wins. † What does this tell you about Miller?What lifestyle red flags could have tipped off the company to the possibility of fraud?†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Page 5 Why do companies hesitate to prosecute white-collar criminals? What are the consequences of not prosecuting? How could law enforcement officials encourage more prosecution?†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Page 5 What could th e victimized companies have done to prevent Miller’s embezzlement?†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Page 6 David L. Miller: Portrait of a White-Collar Criminal Question 1:How does Miller fit the profile of the average fraud perpetrator? How does he differ? How did these characteristics make him difficult to detect? Mr. Miller is a very sad case. He has all the qualifications of a stellar employee, but those traits are only there to mask who he truly is. He fits the average profile for the average fraud perpetrator because of the following: * The vast majority of fraud perpetrators spend everything that they steal. Only a very small percentage invest the money. Mr.Miller spent all the money and thus it explains why he stole from a new employer in order to repay the prior one. * Many white-collar criminals are stellar employees until that very moment when they are caught. They are always eager, work many days and long hours and are reliable employees. * Employers viewed Mr. Miller as an honest employee and it was because of this trust that he was placed in positions of sensitivity. * Mr. Miller had the life and behaved in the manner of your average citizen and did not raise any flags. He was an educated family man with values and good psychological framework.Even though he has some of the same traits as your average fraud perpetrator, he was harder to spot because of the many ways that he differed. Mr. Miller was not unhappy nor was he vengeful towards his employer. He also had never been convicted of his prior transgressions, and there were various. Normally, most of the fraud perpetrators are first time offenders and not serial offender as Mr. Miller has proven to be. This type of character is very difficult to spot because they do not tend to stand ou t. White-collar criminals are very educated talented individuals and are the perfect employee.No one would think that they would be capable of such deviant behavior. These people are placed in position of trust are usually work very hard and long hours for the employee. It is sad because there are many employees who possess these traits, but are truly honest and have the company’s best interest at heart. Question 2: Explain the three elements of the opportunity triangle (commit, conceal, convert), and discuss how Miller accomplished each when embezzling funds from Associated Communications. What specific concealment techniques did Miller use?The three elements to the opportunity triangle are as follows: * Commit – for this instance the perpetrator commits the fraud by taking something that is of value to the victim. For corporations this could manifest itself in the form of money and the corruption of financial records in order to conceal the fraud. A great example of this was displayed when he was able to convince not one but two senior officers into signing various checks with the excuse of â€Å"in case something happens† to sway them into signing before they were to leave on vacation. Conceal – to conceal is to hide, so for this to occur the perpetrator must try to conceal their crime. Accounting must be kept in balance in order to avoid from being discovered. They normally do this by increasing other assets or decreasing corporate liabilities and or equities. I think about lying. It is often too easy to say one, but to conceal that lie takes skill and time and perhaps more lies. On one of Mr. Miller’s transgressions he concealed his fraud through doctoring of records and removal of checks. He concealed a particular theft by retrieving canceled checks from the bank and taking the recordings and destroying the evidence.Then to further conceal what he did, he hid the amounts of the money that he stole into other expense acc ounts in order to be able to reconcile the books. Internal controls are in place for a reason and just because someone is in a position of trust, these should not be ignored and for this particular occurrence they were overlooked due to too much trust. * Convert – normally to convert is to take something that is stolen and converting it to cash. This could occur in the form of inventory or company equipment. However, Mr. Miller did not do either of these. His crime was done more indirectly.Mr. Miller was able to forge checks to himself and deposit them within his personal account. Even though checks were signed by approved officers, the intended use for the check was not approved and constitutes fraud on behalf of Mr. Miller. Question 3: What pressures motivated Miller to embezzle? How did Miller rationalize his actions? I do not believe that Mr. Miller had a lot of pressures. However, he stated, after undergoing therapy that his problem was a disease and went as far as to co mpare it to alcoholism and gambling, but this to me is an excuse or a way to rationalize what he had done.He felt that he needed to steal and have all the luxuries to be liked by his peers; which is sad because he was liked, but not for the reasons he thought, but by his working capabilities. You know you are guilty of something if you have to rationalize what you are doing. I did not notice too many explanations other than Mr. Miller had to steal from his new employer in order to repay the old one. Nonetheless, I feel that he truly believed his own excuse that he was simply borrowing and not really stealing. Sometimes our rationalizations of our actions are so powerful that we can even fool ourselves.Question 4: Miller had a framed T-shirt in his office that said, â€Å"He who dies with the most toys wins. † What does this tell you about Miller? What lifestyle red flags could have tipped off the company to the possibility of fraud? I truly feel sorry for Mr. Miller. His life seemed to be centered around money and materialistic obsessions. That shirt and his behavior showed his desire for money and power, but above all to be recognized by friends and peers. In the end it was Mr. Miller’s extravagant way of living in comparison to his salary proved to be his undoing.When you have a salary of just $130,000 a year, you cannot afford the â€Å"toys† that he had. He had overall a large house, a condo on Myrtle Beach, tailored suits, monogrammed shirts, plenty of jewelry, gifts for relatives and above all the two Mercedes-Benz sedans that he just so happened to possess. In the synopsis there was no mention of his wife working, but with his salary and their 3 children, there was no reason for her to work and this logic is what led me to believe how his salary to possession ratio would raise a few red flags. Question 5:Why do companies hesitate to prosecute white-collar criminals?What are the consequences of not prosecuting? How could law enforcem ent officials encourage more prosecution? Even though we see in the news about CEO’s and CFO’s being prosecuted for fraud and embezzlement, in actuality, fraud against a corporation happens more frequently than one would think. The following are a few reasons why I feel that corporations are hesitant to prosecute white-collar criminals: * Lack of knowledge – many of the law enforcement agencies, attorneys or lawyers lack the knowledge in how to properly handle these types of cases.As technology use becomes ever so prevalent, the task is becoming more difficult as computers are a whole new playing field that is yet to be learned. * Aloofness by Society – unless the loss happens to you, society is more concerned with crimes of violence against another than monetary. The internal theft of funds within a corporation are seen as just that an internal problem. * Difficulty Prosecuting – unless you are lucky and have a confession from the perpetrator, lik e in Mr. Miller’s case to which he confessed in every event, you have a costly and lengthy case that will prove to be rather hard to prove.Prosecution can sometimes cost more than the theft itself and it is not seen as an incentive to prosecute. * Lack of understanding on what computer fraud really is. Computers and the internet are pretty new things and as such the laws and ways to prosecute are very vague and hard to understand. * Guilt on the outcome of the perpetrators family. Because Mr. Miller in every event promised restitution and had a wife with 3 children, the companies felt that prosecuting was heartless and they did not wish to cause harm to the family.One corporation, Crest even hired the attorney to represent Mr. Miller. * Negative shadow against the corporation – Companies do not like anything that could hinder their public image. Mr. Miller’s transgressions would cause a very public trial and a lot of investors would have been involved. This woul d have caused many to remove their investment. Overall, the corporation would suffer greatly. * Knowledge that their weaknesses would be exposed. Lack of trust in the internal controls or any discovery of weaknesses would have caused a lot of future damage against a corporation.People are creatures of trust and habit and once trust is broken, it is very hard to return and provide that trust again. This would hurt future business that the corporation would have. Look at Enron, AIG, and Bernie Madoff, to name a few. * My favorite of all would be those that are prosecuted and the outcome is favorable to the victim, the perpetrator gets very light sentences. Many go to minimum security prisons, work camps that have certain luxuries. Because of this many corporations do not even bother in spending the additional funds in prosecuting these cases.The above named are mere excuses and to not prosecute fraud causes more harm. It allows for the perpetrator to move on to commit fraud against an other corporation, like in Mr. Miller’s case. By having this exposure, corporations feel that they will feel that they will look to others as being weak and will encourage others to commit fraud against them. When someone is not punished for their transgressions that person will not learn and feel that they can get away with it again if they get caught. Law enforcement officials are stuck and all they can do is encourage others to come forward and report the offenses.Corporations need to know that if they take action that there will be a support system and their voices will not be lost. They need to be sure that the perpetrator will be convicted accordingly depending upon their transgressions. They need to be made an example of, so that the public know that this behavior is not tolerated and it is a serious offense that will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Question 6:What could the victimized companies have done to prevent Miller’s embezzlement? When I read the synopsis, I was looking for how Mr.Miller committed many of the frauds, but not much detail was revealed. However, the best way that the corporations could have avoided this was to have better internal controls and adhering to them. I would have prevented some of the thefts by doing the following: * Having better controls of the checks and the signing of checks. * Secondary looks at the monthly reconciliations and the bank statements. * Provide a list of all check deposits with the subsequent invoice explaining the reason for the expense. No employee should have the level of trust and freedom that Mr. Miller was given.There always needs to be a system of checks and balances in place in order to ensure and prevent this from happening. I can understand that these positions merit trust, but there should be a second person looking at the financials to curb any temptation for even the most honest to commit fraud. Had the first employer chosen to prosecute none of this would have happened. However, the future employers could have avoided all of this had they just bothered to do a more thorough background check on Mr. Miller. There they would have discovered the reasons for his separation from his prior employment.